!"

What comfort in words? We offered none. My father's eyes brimmed over, and
my heart was breaking for my poor Jeannette.

But relief came speedily. The joyful news was received that George was
safe, having made a necessary change in his plans, and would arrive in a
fortnight. Jeannette came up from the depths. What should her
thank-offering be? She made the resolution to become at once faithful to
her appointments, prompt and reliable. It was not that she would
_try_--she would speak the commanding words "I will."

She has kept her resolution. Writing to me, after a lapse of years, she
said: "You will hardly know your dilatory friend. I remember and practice
your advice of former years, to be first ready for my appointments, and to
reserve other work for the interval of waiting after I am ready. It is
surprising how often I find not a moment left for waiting. Still, I feel
the old tendency to procrastinate, and I am obliged steadfastly to resist
it. 'Delays are dangerous,' as our old writing-copies used to run; the
sentiment is hackneyed, but oh, how true! George says he owes you ten
thousand thanks for your faithful counsel, and we shall speak them when
you make us the visit of which we feel so sure, because your promises, as
I well know, are faithfully kept."

THE THREE HORSE-SHOES; OR, MARSHAL DE SAXE AND THE DUTCH BLACKSMITH.

BY DAVID KER.

Maurice de Saxe was a son of the King of Saxony, and a fine lad he
was--tall and strong and handsome, and as brave as a lion. But the king,
like a certain old woman of whom you may have heard, had so many children
that he didn't know what to do; and so, as Maurice had such a lot of elder
brothers as to have not much chance of inheriting the crown, or anything
else that would keep him in bread and butter, his father sent him out to
seek his fortune, like many another prince in those days. So he went over
to France, and entered the army of King Louis XV.

Now, at that time there was always a war going on somewhere or other, and
the French armies were fighting in every part of Europe; and the king
cared very little who his officers were, or where they came from, if they
were only brave men and clever fighters, and ready to go wherever he liked
to send them. So, as you may think, it was not long before our friend
Maurice, who was quite as brave as any of them, and a good deal cleverer
than most, began to make his way. First, he got to be a lieutenant, then a
captai